Baltimore Orioles sued by family of 10-year-old hit in the face by a baseball

WMAR Staff

3:10 PM, Mar 26, 2014

3:16 PM, Mar 26, 2014

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BALTIMORE - The family of a 10-year-old girl who severely injured her head after being struck by a baseball during batting practice prior to an Oriole game last season is suing the ball club and the Maryland Stadium Authority.

In a lawsuit filed Monday in Baltimore City Circuit by the family of Jennifer Dempsey, they are seeking more than $75,000 in damages. The suit says Dempsey was struck by a ball hit by Oakland Athletics outfielder Cocco Crisp on Aug. 23, 2013 and underwent nine hours of emergency surgery for a fractured skull, broken cheekbones and other injuries.

According to the lawsuit, an usher did not warn her of the dangers of being hit by a ball during batting practice. In addition, she was not attempting to catch a ball at the time of the incident.

The lawsuit also says since the surgery, Dempsey has suffered a number of medical setbacks, including constant infections in the area of her head where she had the surgery. The suit also claims that Dempsey will continue to require rehabilitation, cognitive testing and other medical procedures and evaluations.

David Paulson, a spokesman for the Office of the Maryland Attorney General, says the lawsuit is the first of its kind since the stadium opened in 1992. Team representatives declined to comment on the suit.